Who needs leaves? Beach towns tout fall tourism

Friday

Sep 21, 2012 at 1:54 PM

Cooler temperatures and lower prices attract a different class of tourists to the region for fall

By Wayne FaulknerWayne.Faulkner@StarNewsOnline.com

"The mountains are calling? Send them a postcard from the beach."Asheville and Blowing Rock may think otherwise, but the beach and ocean are "more exciting than watching leaves change," the advertisement continues.It's Wrightsville Beach's way of saying that though summer is gone, the quest for tourists isn't.School bells have ended those week-long family vacations that packed the beaches in the scorching sun, though weekend trips are still an option. "Most drive in and come at the last minute" said Gregory Maley, a broker at Wrightsville Beach Vacation Rentals. But after Labor Day, the tourists hardly vanish. They just change.Now that the heat is receding, fisherman are heading to Topsail Island, more foreigners are arriving every week, church groups have room to sightsee, and retirees are taking advantage of cooler temperatures.And as an added incentive, cheaper hotel and home rental rates.The folks at the Wilmington and Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau continue to promote the region, said the group's president and CEO, Kim Hufham. "We heavily promote fall events and activities," she said.But there's a big difference in the clientele at Wilmington Trolley Co., which offers tours of historic downtown.Retired couples start showing up after Labor Day, said Wes Moore, the tour company's manager."They're usually passing through to visit a family member," or perhaps working their way down the coast to Savannah or Florida, he said."They are very money-conscious."You'll also start to see more faces from abroad.A lot of people come from Europe, on long vacations, stop in Wilmington and take a boat tour, said Mary DeLollo, an owner of Wilmington Water Tours. Last weekend, they had people from Quebec and Ontario, DeLollo said, adding that the business has also had tourists from Australia, Ireland and Italy.Southport and Oak Island may see families with kids on weekends – for a teacher work day or other long weekends, said Karen Sphar, executive vice president of the Southport-Oak Island Chamber of Commerce. "But predominantly it's going to be smaller groups, church groups," she said."I'm talking like three or four couples, a small group, a women's group ... who rent one or two houses and go to the beach together."Some people come in groups of like-minded people – like golfers, Sphar said.Or fishermen and fisherwomen.As September progresses the vast majority of vacation renters are fishermen and their wives, said Brandon Ward, vice president of Ward Realty in Surf City."In about two more weeks we won't be able to find parking" at the company's office in Surf City. "It's because we are at Surf City pier and it's packed."Ward contrasted the seasons."In summer, it's the family dynamic – kids, multi-generational, probably maxing out the occupancy per house," he said.Now business goes mostly to oceanfront homes and empty-nesters, Ward said.And rental homes cost considerably less."Every week of September is better," Ward said."We go from a weekly-only season to one with a two- to three-night minimum. Rates drop after Labor Day and drop again after Oct. 1," he said, adding that this time of year home rental rates are half what they were in the prime month of July.And off-season they are only 35 percent to 40 percent of summer rates, Ward said.One trend at all three New Hanover County beach towns – Wrightsville, Carolina Beach and Kure – are people who are renting for one to three months, said Jim Clark, president of United Beach Vacations. "A retired couple will rent a two- or three-bedroom property and have family and friends come by and visit," he said.They're paying lower rates, especially if they are going to stay at least 30 days, Clark added.The fall season is longer at the New Hanover beaches than, say, Topsail, because of the attractions of Wilmington, he said."It adds more diversity ... they can go into town. People also enjoy taking the ferry to Southport for the day."I think the folks in the fall are more active than the ones in the summer," Clark said. "Women may shop and the guys play golf."Clark is optimistic about business for fall."We're running ahead of last year on the short-term and definitely long-term rentals. Overall the market for rents for the last fiscal year was up about 10 or 12 percent."Ward also is feeling bullish.September is running ahead of last year, he said, and last year was the best September ever.